Daily Inspiration by Dr. Jerry Burton

To Know Is To Do!

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8.28

How many times have we read a verse in the Bible, and then when we read it again, it doesn’t say what we thought it said? I believe this is one of those verses. At the risk of oversimplifying the explanation, there are several key phrases here: (1) we know; (2) all things work together for good; (3) to them that love God; and (4) to them who are the called according to his purpose.
I find great comfort in realizing there are some things that “we know” as we walk this journey with the Lord. It is also comforting to know that the people and events in our lives are not beyond God’s ability to correlate them “for good.” The phrase “them that love God” goes beyond a simple acknowledgement that God exists. It speaks of a life that sees God as more than a rescuer, but sees Him as our Heavenly Father. Paul is NOT saying that all things “are good” but rather that God is able to make “all things work together for good to them that love God.” Finally, we need to comprehend what this last phrase is saying. One translation states it this way: “are called according to his purpose for them.” What is God’s purpose for each one of His children? Is it not that we would LOVE Him supremely and SERVE His sacrificially and GLORIFY Him in our lives daily? Before you shrug that off as one person’s opinion, think carefully about God’s PURPOSE for YOUR life. If you can come up with some other Biblical definition, go for it. If not, I will stand by these words which are just MY thoughts …